Page 37 of Shiver

He put his arms around her and pulled her close. “It’s okay. Everything is going to be fine.”

He said the words so easily, so casually, but nothing would be fine—not for her, not ever again.

She leaned into his strong warm chest, and closed her eyes, trying to forget. She tried to pretend the game wasn’t up and there wasn’t anywhere left for her to run. Hot tears slipped out of her eyes and ran down her cheeks as the pain in her head deadened into a dull ache.

After a moment, he pulled back. “Talk to me.”

* * *

“Tell me about this picture.”The paper clutched in his hand, shook in the wind.

He didn’t like the look of horror that had come over her face or the way the little color her skin had gained since waking fell away, leaving her looking like a ghostly specter as the sky darkened around them.

“They wouldn’t let me say goodbye. I didn’t kill him,” she insisted. Her eyes filled with fear and became slightly unfocused. “You have to believe me.” She sounded almost desperate as her fingers clutched his arms, clinging to him.

“I believe you,” he whispered.

That seemed to settle her some, and bring the focus back to her wild gaze.

“Where did you get this?” She gestured toward the paper.

“In the treehouse.”

She nodded her head in quick succession. “Then he’s here. He’s come for me.”

“Who?”

“The man who killed Tommy.”

Her words chilled him. Or maybe it was the manic way in which she said them. The wind started up, whipping through the trees, blowing her hair around her.

“Who’s Tommy and what does he have to do with Michelle?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know.”

Somewhere in the distance, thunder boomed through the sky. They had to get back to the house. “Can you ride?”

“I think so.” She shivered and rubbed her arms, looking around her, her eyes searching the bushes.

He helped her up onto Babe’s back. “Hang on.” He grabbed Storm’s reins, then climbed up behind her. “Lean back against me and hold on.”

They rode as fast as they could but had to stop for the horse he’d left tied up at the treehouse. With two horses in tow behind them, it was slow going. The storm was blowing in fast and from the look of the swollen, purple sky, it wouldn’t be long before it cut loose.

The downpour started just as they rode into the barn to secure the horses. There was no sign of the dogs. “LuAnn must have them,” Riley said, absently.

They ran to the house. “Felix,” Devra called, and looked relieved as the cat came running at the sound of her voice. Devra fed Felix, and Riley call his stepmother to let her know Storm was safe and secure in the barn.

As he hung up the phone, he turned to Devra. “We should take you to the hospital and have you examined.”

She stiffened. “No.”

“You don’t know what happened out there. You were unconscious.”

“I can’t.”

He shook his head in bewilderment, then picked up the phone again to call Tony. “How’s your head?” he asked as Tony’s cell rang.

“Better.”

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